Once you’ve decided to utilize the services of a waterborne dry and liquid bulk carrier, you’ll need to learn some new vocabulary. Like most industries, ocean bulk carriers have their own jargon. If you don’t know it, it will be hard to make your way through telephone and written communications with your carrier.
Whether you are dry bulk shipping or doing bulk liquid transport, you’ll need to know the language. Learning about waterborne dry and liquid bulk carriers key terms includes educating yourself about acronyms, new terms and abbreviations. Keep in mind that the maritime bulk carriers you are using want to help you.
1. Read through any contract or terms of agreements thoroughly, and have an experienced lawyer take a look to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
2. If you have questions, ask your bulk shipping customer service representative! They are there to help you.
3. If you are shipping internationally, make sure you understand not only the terms for U.S. exporting, but also the terms for importing into your destination country.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Look online to find definitions of waterborne dry and liquid bulk carriers key terms
The Internet is a great place to start your research. Terminology related to bulk shipping and bulk carriers can be found on informative websites.
I recommend: Nationmaster’s Encyclopedia offers a short overview of definitions regarding cargo and freight ships. The
Legal and Economic Analysis of Tramp Maritime Services offers a more extensive glossary of terms related to bulk carriers.
Learn the acronyms associated with dry bulk carriers and liquid bulk transport companies
Like many other companies, industries and organizations, the world of dry bulk, liquid bulk and their respective shippers includes an extensive set of acronyms. Having a list of what those acronyms at your fingertips is invaluable when trying to negotiate through communications and legal documents relating to waterborne dry and liquid bulk carriers.
I recommend: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’
Navigation Data Center has a list of many acronyms relating to the bulk carrier industry, and gives both the description and a lengthier definition of those key terms. The
Nautical Institute has a list of acronyms and abbreviations relating to maritime bulk transport, as well as general mariner terms.
Read some books about maritime bulk transport
Sometimes the best way to learn is simply to go back to old-fashioned books. This method works especially well if you have to educate a large group of people, since you can be sure that everyone is operating from the same knowledge base.
I recommend: “
Maritime Economics” by Martin Shopford is a standard in the waterborne shipping industry. This link allows you to learn more about the book through reviews, previews of pages and a list of retailers from whom you can purchase it if you decide it’s something you need.
Unz & Co has suggestions of books that can help you learn waterborne dry and liquid bulk carriers key terms, including lots of suggestions to help you with the legal terms and regulations of exporting and importing. You can read through descriptions of each book to see if they have the information you are seeking. They also offer bulk discounts if you need to order multiple copies for your employees.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- There are many resources available to help you understand bulk carriers, shipping and the terminology that goes with it. However, it is important to remember that terms may come up that you still don't understand; the best thing you can do in that situation is to ask for help from a person inside the industry.
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